Advocacy is needed
to request favorable consideration of recommendation for a 3% rate
increase for Out-of-Home Care providers that serve foster children
and youth.

Together Georgia
leaders have been meeting with the Governor's staff and individual
legislators on behalf of providers to request additional
resources.
Written comments as well as verbal testimony were provided
Tuesday afternoon at the House Appropriations Human Resources
Subcommittee hearing. Ron Scroggy, Together Georgia Executive
Director and TG members testified at the hearing to request a 3%
rate increase for private providers. TG members Mike Angstadt,
Emily Acker, John Blend, Bob Bruder-Mattson and Karl Lehman joined
Ron in presenting a compelling case for additional support for
providers.
View hearing

Advocacy is now
needed from as many providers as possible. The House version of FY
2016 budget could pass as early as Feb. 26. Time is of the essence
for providers to contact legislators. Please contact legislators to
request favorable consideration of recommendation for a 3% rate
increase for Out-of-Home-Care providers. They need to hear from you
ASAP.

Your requests
should be simple and to the point. Please personalize your message.
Be clear about who you are (define acronyms like RBWO) and who you
serve (foster children and youth). Suggestions include the
following, but your message needs to be unique:

We fully support
the Governor and Child Welfare Reform Council’s recommendations to
provide additional funding for DFCS and the needs to help address
safety concerns of children and families

We would ask that
you also consider the private providers as they serve approximately
6,500 children of the total 10,000 children in care

Private providers
providing care to Georgia’s children in DFCS and DJJ custody have
only received one rate increase in ten years and that was two years
ago – many providers are being paid essentially 75 percent of costs
to care for these vulnerable children and youth (otherwise, the
providers are raising charitable funds to help with the full costs
of the kids’ care)

Please support
Together Georgia and its request for an additional investment in the
providers caring for these children by adding an increase of three
(3) percent in the rate paid for room, board and watchful oversight
(RBWO) – this would equate to approximately $6.9 million

Thank you very
much for listening to our request, and if we may answer questions,
please let us know.